Reviews with content warning for Torture - Mornings in Jenin

You will never be the same after this book.
It’s hard to transmit all I’ve felt during it, even now after a few hours.
This book is not only informative and deeply meshed into the history of Palestine, the culture, the family ties, the smell and love of that country, it is also a very open window into the invasion/occupation and conflict with Israel, the camps, the ethnic cleansing, and all the atrocities of the apartheid since.
Although this is the fictional story of a Palestinian family going back three generations when they’re first taken from their ancestral home in 1967 and forced into the Jenin refugee camp travelling time and countries to end in 2003, this is still based on hundreds of real stories that happened during those 40 years.
A book that I now consider a must read to all that want to understand humanity at its most intense level of experience, from love to hatred, loss and despair to hope, from war to art.
The writing is poetic and deeply resonating, and the way it tells of the love of country and people even through such severe loss is humbling and takes you on a journey inside your own feelings as you follow those in this tale.
I cried, despaired, and raged, and still feel the aftershock of all the information, all this history, all these feelings, this is definitely not a book for the faint hearted still I cannot recommend it enough, and will be doing so forever more.

Content Warnings

annainthebooks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Content Warnings

theroyaltyreader's review

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challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

i cried a lot because of beautiful hurtful and sad

Content Warnings

kait_sixcrowsbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Rep:

full Palestinian cast
Muslim MCs and SCs
Jewish MC and SCs

...I don't even know where to start.

If you're looking for a book that may put you through a bunch of emotional turmoil as the reader, this is your book. It follows four generations of a Palestinian family, from before Al Nakba to a couple years after 9/11, as they try to make a life after Israeli occupation and war uproots them from their ancestral home. It dealt with the horrors of war and genocide, which was contrasted by the beautiful purple prose. If you connect with the writing early on, you will probably be put through the wringer repeatedly as you read.

I will say this: I do not regret reading Mornings in Jenin. It's unbelievably sad and, at times, hard to get through. But I appreciate every minute I put in to reading it, and I hope you do, too, if you decide to pick it up.

However, please pay attention to the content warnings.

A full review will be on my blog next week.

Content Warnings

jamesflint's review against another edition

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4.0

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